NZ204871A - Folding carrier attached to vehicle towball - Google Patents

Description

204871 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION "Improvements in or relating to carrying devices" We, J. & P.C. SLECHT LIMITEDf a company incorporated under the laws of New Zealand of 15-17 Zelanian Drive, East Tamaki, Auckland, New Zealand, hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: 2°487, This invention relates to a carrying device.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a carrying device which will at least provide the public with a useful choice.

Accordingly the invention consists in a carrying device comprising a connection member adapted to be engaged in use with the towing ball of a vehicle, a platform pivotal with respect to said connection member, a stop to substantially prevent rotation of said platform beyond a predetermined amount in one direction, an upstand member connected to said platform or said connection member and releasable locating means to locate said platform and said upstand in a selected relative position until said locating means are released.

To those skilled in the art to which the invention relates, many changes in construction and widely differing embodiments and applications of the invention will suggest themselves without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. The disclosures and the descriptions herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to be in any sense limiting.

One preferred form of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a cross sectional view of a carrying device according to one preferred form of the invention; Figure 2 is a simplified view of the carrying device according to one preferred form of the invention, showing only the platform and upstand thereof; 20487! Figure 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view of part of a carrying device according to one preferred form of the invention showing the connection of the platform to the connection member Figure 4 is a view on A-A of figure 3; Figure 5 is a view as in figure 3 but showing the connection of the upstand to the platform; Figure 6 is a view on B-B in figure 5, Figure 7 is a side elevation of parts of a luggage carrier, according to an alternative embodiment of the invention, Figure 8 is a side elevation of the construction of Figure 7 showing the connection between the platform and upstand, Figure 9 is a rear elevation of the construction of Figure 7 showing the hinge between the platform and mounting plage, and Figures 10 and 11 show details of the connection between the upstand and the platform.

Referring to the drawings a carrying device 1 is provided as follows: The carrying device 1 includes a connection member to enable engagement of the device 1 to for example a vehicle towing ball. The connection member 2 is preferably in the form of a tube 3 which is open at its lower end 4 and being of a size so that it will pass over a towing ball 5 of a vehicle such as a car.

The other end of the tube 3 may be closed, for example, by a plate 6. So as to securely locate the tube 3 on the towing ball 5 a locking device is provided and this may comprise an aperture through the wall of tube 2 and which preferably is associated with a tube 7 which is threaded so that a screw may be passed 204-S7! therethrough preferably at an angle such as about 60° to the longitudinal axis of the towing ball 5.

The tube 7 and aperture are positioned so that the screw 8 will engage the towing ball 5 in the vicinity of position 9 that is to say on the underside of the bulbous part of the towing ball 5 and at an angle thereto. Thus tightening the screw 8 will draw the tube down around the towing ball 5 and into a firm engagement with plate 10 which mounts the towing ball 5.

The carrying device includes a platform 11 which is pivotally engaged with the connection device preferably to the plate 6. Thus the platform 11 may include, for example, a perimeter frame 12 and cross bracing struts 13. Between the perimeter frame 12 and the bracing struts 13 may be positioned devices to support articles to be carried and these may be channel members such as channel members 14 for example being of inverted top hat section. The underside of the channels 14 may be supported by further cross members 15. A stop is provided to prevent rotation of the platform beyond a desired amount and the stop is provided, for example, either by the plate 6 or by a member such as pad 16 (fig 3) mounted thereon, for example, by welding. In order to form the pivotal engagement between the platform 11 and the connection device 2 the rear member 17 of the perimeter frame may have a tube 18 affixed thereto, for example, by welding. Thus the tube 18 may be positioned between a pair of lugs 19 on the plate 6 and a pivot shaft 20 may be passed through the tube 18 and corresponding apertures in the lugs 19. The shaft 20 may be threaded at its ends to enable 204457! nuts 21 to be engaged on the threads to fix shaft 20 into position.

In the construction shown in figure 3, the rear member 17 and the tube 18 are separated by a spacing member 22.

An upstand 23 is provided with releaseable locating means able to be operated so that the upstand 23 will be positioned in a desired disposition, in particular, in use substantially vertical. Thus the upstand 23 may have one or more and preferably a pair of downwardly extending members 24. These members 24 are each engaged with a U bracket 25 which is engaged either with the connection device 2 or more desirably with the platform 11 in particular the rear perimeter member 17.

The U brackets 25 have in each arm slots 26 so that a pivot pin 27 with an enlarged head such as nut 28 may be passed therethrough so that the upstand 23 can be moved relative to the brackets 25 by movement of the pivot pin 27 in the slot 26.

In order to position the upstand 23 dowel pins 29 are provided in the base of the U bracket 25 and a corresponding aperture is provided at the lower end 29 of the downwardly extending members 24.

Thus when the upstand 23 is moved so as to be substantially in the position shown in figures 5 and 6, the aperture in the bottom 30 of the upstand members 24 will pass down over and around the dowel pins 29.

The construction also envisages a further member 31 extending from the connection device having an aperture therethrough which may be associated with a thread provided for 204871 example by nut 32 welded or brazed to member 31.

A strap 33 with an aperture 36 therein may also be provided along with screw 34 so that with the platform 11 and upstand 23 positioned side by side i.e. in substantially parallel planes, the strap 33 may be positioned across, for example, the cross members 13 and the screw 34 passed through the aperture 36 into the nut 32 so as to hold the platform 11 and upstand 23 in a closed or shut storage position.

* Referring now to Figure 7 the platform 11 is pivotally connected to the platform 6 for example by providing a pair of apertured lugs 40 extending upwardly from the platform 6 and providing a pair of downwardly extending lugs 41 from the platform 11. A rod or axle 42 is then passed through the apertures in the lugs and secured for example by a nut 43 engaged on to threaded ends 44 of the rod 42. Thus the platform 11 is able to pivot with respect to the platform 6. In the construction of Figures 7 to 11 the pin 28 in the U bracket 25 is replaced by an enlarged substantially rectangular spigot 45 over which the lower end 29 of a substantially rectangular downwardly extending member 24 may be engaged for example as shown in Figure 10. The U brackets 25 are mounted on the platform 5 substantially as shown in Figure 8.

The use of the invention is as follows: With the construction initially in the storage position, the tube 3 may be positioned over a towing ball 5 and the screw 8 tightened to substantially clamp the device to the towing ball 5. 204871 The screw 34 may then be removed and the strap 33 taken from the construction. The platform 11 together with the upstand 23 may then be rotated about the pivot pin 20 until the platform 11 becomes positioned, for example, substantially as shown in figure 1.

The upstand 23 may then be rotated in the reverse direction about the pivot pin 27 until substantially in the position shown in figure 1 whereupon the upstand 23 may be dropped so that the aperture in the bottom end of the downwardly extending members 24 drops over the dowel pin 28.

The construction of Figures 7 to 11 is used in substantially the same manner. The upstand 22 is rotated about the pivot pin 27 which is able to move in the slot 26 so that with the construction in a folded up position as shown in Figure 8 the lower end 29 of the upstand 22 is positioned as shown in Figure 8 but with the platform in its lowered position the upstand 22 becomes positioned substantially as shown in Figure 7.

The construction may then be used to carry items as required and for example if a bicycle is required to be carried the wheels thereof may be positioned into the channel members 14 and the bicycle tied to the upstand 23. Of course the carrying device can be used to carry other articles.

Thus it can be seen that at least in the preferred form of the invention a carrying device is provided which can be quickly and readily engaged and removed from a vehicle being engaged with the towing ball of the vehicle. The device in the preferred form is also desirable in that it can be folded so as to provide for easy storage. The device when folded is in a substantially flat condition. Also the position of the screw which engages the towing ball in use is such that once engaged removal of the platform without deliberate unscrewing of the locking screw is difficult and accidental falling of the device from the vehicle is therefore unlikely.

Claims (10)

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. The invention consists in a carrying device comprising a connection member adapted to be engaged in use with the towing ball of a vehicle, a platform pivotal with respect to said connection member, a stop to substantially prevent rotation of said platform beyond a predetermined amount in o^ne direction, an upstand member connected to said platform or said connection member and releasable locating means to locate said platform and said upstand in a selected relative position until said locating means are released.

2. A carrying device as claimed in Claim 1 wherein in use said platform can be disposed substantially in a horizontal plane and said upstand can be disposed in a substantially vertical plane.

3. A carrying device as claimed in either Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein said connection member includes a tube able to be positioned over the towing ball, a threaded aperture through the wall of said tube and a screw passable through said aperture and into engagement with said ball, the construction and arrangement being such that said screw engages the underside of the bulbous part of said towing ball at an angle to the vertical axis of said towing ball.

4. A carrying device as claimed in Claim 3 wherein said angle is substantially 60^.

5." A carrying device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein said connection device further includes a plate across said tube part of said connection member, said plate or a member associated therewith forming said stc -9-

6. A carrying device as claimed in Claim 5 wherein platform is hinged to said plate.

7. A carrying device as claimed in Claim 6 wherein said platform has one or more U brackets engaged therewith, said upstand having a member or members forming part thereof engaged with said U bracket or brackets for pivotal movement ^ therebetween.

8. A carrying device as claimed in Claim 7 wherein each said bracket has a slot therein and pivot pin associated with said upstand is able to move in said slot, the base of said bracket having an inwardly extending dowel pin or spigot and said upstand member or members can be engaged with each said or a said dowel pin or spigot by positioning said upstand member or members onto each said dowel pin or spigot.

9. A carrying device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein said platform includes channel members thereacross.

10. A carrying device substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED THIS DAY OF A.J. PARK & SON ■.PER AGENTS FOR THE APPLICANT -10-